On Tuesday, April 9, over 100 students from private schools across Pennsylvania took a trip to Harrisburg, the state’s capital.
This event, nicknamed “Advocacy Day,” was a lobbying effort organized by the AICUP, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania. Students from private universities across the state came together to express their opinions regarding funding for private education.
This past winter, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro initiated a 5% increase for Pennsylvania’s state-related universities, which brought forth some differing opinions, especially from private university staff, students, and faculty.
Pennsylvania has over 200 colleges and universities, but only 14 are public. Conversely, there are 97 private universities in the state. This significant margin raised some questions, especially regarding the importance of funding for all colleges and universities.
According to data provided by Dr. McMonagle, out of 974 students who reside in Pennsylvania and are enrolled at least part-time, 742 were active and eligible for a state grant. This year, Neumann University received just over $2.6 million from the Pennsylvania State Grant program.
Three Neumann students took this valuable opportunity to have their voices heard, learn about government and legal processes, and explore the state capitol. Sophomore Drew Tisdel, junior Jahir Allenye, and sophomore Sahdahya Addy represented Neumann University in Harrisburg, alongside Political Science Professor Robert McMonagle.
To start the day, students explored the capitol, and Addy met with her aunt, Joanna McClinton. McClinton is the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House. Elected on February 28, 2023, McClinton made history as the first female speaker in Pennsylvania.
Tisdel, a commuter student from Delaware, stated, “Even though I’m not eligible to receive any of these grants, it’s good that other people are. It’s a net positive.”
Allenye is from Chester, one of the lowest-income cities in Pennsylvania. Chester is home to the largest trash incinerator in the United States, which has immense effects on the rest of the community. For example, roughly one-third of children in Chester have been diagnosed with asthma due to the poor air quality. The 75.9% black community also has 12,575 residents living in poverty.
“The grants can really help low-income students in the area. It’s good for growing the spirit of education.” discussed Allenye.